From the introduction: Most cities have a seedy side, a criminal element that belies even the most peaceful of appearances. Sometimes there is an element of organization to these unlawful elements, a group that is seemingly behind everything that happens whether anyone else is aware or not. The family is just such an organization. No criminal event happens in the city without the blessing of the godfather. Anyone who dares to cross the family meets with a swift and unfortunate accident, typically disappearing without a trace, a victim of one of the family’s insatiable appetites.